i'm robin roberts. >> and i'm george stephanopoulos.ts. it's wednesday, september 15th. and this morning, tea party shocker. >> no more politics as usual. >> another sarah palin momma grizzly wins. this time in delaware. but could this victory help the democrats? first day of freedom. sarah shourd, one of three american hikers held prisoner in iran heads home. but her fiance and friend are still in prison. we talk to their moms about holding out hope. heisman handover. the player once dubbed the most exciting runningback in football history, forfeits his trophy. why did he give back football's most coveted prize? and crash landing. this glider crashes head-first into the runway. how in the world did he walk away? good morning, everyone. amazing, that pilot is okay.

>> show that picture again. that is just unbelievable. look at that. nose-first. >> right into the runway. and walked away. amazing. we'll have that in a little bit. but a big night last night, george. >> it certainly was. a big night in politics. a big night for the tea party. they have won a race in new york. maybe in new hampshire. and this huge upset in delaware. the candidate endorsed by sarah palin, christine o'donnell. to defeat a former governor and long-time congressman. up until now, he had been one of the most popular politicians in the state. we're going to talk to them live in a moment. and it continues to be a busy hurricane season. three, named storms churning in the atlantic. and karl has his eye on a popular mexican vacation destination. sam will have it all for us. let's get to the stunning election results. jon karl wraps them up from

capitol hill. >> reporter: the big story is the staggering upset in delaware. republican leaders were calling christine o'donnell a complete fraud. now, she is the republican nominee for senate. she did it. >> don't ever underestimate the power of we, the people. >> reporter: riding a tea party wave, christine o'donnell pulled off the biggest upset of the year. decisively beating congressman mike castle, the only person republican leaders believe could have won joe biden's senate seat. >> the voters in the republican primary have spoken. and i respect that decision. >> reporter: castle was a moderate pro-abortion rights, pro-gun control republican. o'donnell called him too liberal. and has one big-name republican backing her up. >> hi. this is governmenter sarah palin. vote for christine o'donnell on tuesday. >> reporter: listen to what the

state party chairman told me just a few days ago. >> i have no doubt whatsoever, that if she were, by some miracle, to be our nominee, that we would lose this seat and lose it by unprecedented numbers. >> reporter: if that's true, republicans may have just blown their chances of winning control of the senate. o'donnell has twice before run for senate and twice been trounced. she's long had troubles with her personal finances. and has been accused of using her campaign to pay her bills. >> using campaign funds to pay her own rent and personal expenses. >> reporter: o'donnell's victory, tea party candidates have now prevailed the establishment in at least seven republican senate primaries. and votes are still being counted in new hampshire, where tea partiers are also hoping for a victory. and it's not just senate races. last night in new york, tea partier carl paladino prevailed over former congressman, rick lazio, in the governor's race. national republican senatorial committee had a terse statement

last night, congratulating o'donnell on her victory. but republican leaders said they will not do anything to help her campaign. they will not spend a dime on it. because they told me, they do not believe she has a chance of winning. >> thank you very much. and the big winner joins us now. christine o'donnell from delaware. thank you for getting up early. and congratulations. did sarah palin make the difference here? >> thank you, george. yes, she did. all summer we've been working hard. to get out there and get the voters to meet me. i want the vote to mean something. i want it to be a vote of confidence. when the mud-slinging started, i was very encouraged that what a lot of people said was, we knew what your opponent was putting out wasn't reflective of who we know you to be. and when governor palin stood up and so boldly made a statement that she supported me, it allowed them to get past the

politics of personal destruction, to look at the message and look at the fact that i wanted to make this race about the issue. how we're going to get jobs back in delaware. how we're going to defend the homeland of our security. and she helped to get it back on track. >> she's going to need to raise some money for you. we just heard jon karl said the national republican party is not going to give you any funds. >> that's a shame. but they never thought i could win this race. and i believe we can win without them. in is about giving the political power back to we, the people. and we proved the so-called experts wrong. i think a few of them may have their pride hurt this morning. but, you know, i didn't count on the establishment to win the primary. i'm not counting of them to win the general. i'm counting on the voters of delaware. and we're going to work hard to make sure that we take our message to them. >> but you are going to have to answer some questions. we saw that the republican party

chairman in jon karl's piece there. he went on to say, that you're not a viable candidate. that you could not be elected dog catcher in delaware. he went on to say that you're either a liar or mentally unhinged. and karl rove, president bush's former political adviser, was on fox news, very tough talking about your checkered background. saying you say some nutty things. he went on to say, you have to answer these questions. >> why did she mislead voters about her college education? how come it took her nearly two decades to pay her college bills so she could get her college degree? how did she make a living? why did she sue a well-known, well-thought-of consumer thinktank? >> can you answer those questions? >> everything he's saying is unfactual. these the same political guru that predicted that i wasn't going to win. we won. and we won big. he's eating some humble pie. he's trying to restore his reputation.

again, i'm counting on the voters in delaware. like i said this, is about giving the political process back to the people. people are tired of what's going on in washington. these failed policies that don't represent them. my republican opponent did not have a record to stand on. he supported the democrats more than he supported the republicans. and when we started gaining momentum, and we started gaining credibility in this race, it made the republican establishment look like lazy people who did not care about their principles. but i hope that we can put that behind us because if they're really serious about winning, i was ahead in the general election, according to rasmussen, before the republican cannibalism started. if they were serious about winning, we could repair the damage done and move forward. and that's the challenge i put out to them. >> you call it republican -- >> i believe we can win. >> you call it republican cannibalism, saying what karl rove is unfactual. but it is true that you had conflicting statements about

your college record. that the big issue in the campaign was failure to pay back taxes. >> it's not true. >> failure to pay campaign dets. failure to pay your mortgage. can you clear that up? >> absolutely. and first of all, they also said that ronald reagan wasn't electable. we've addressed all of this stuff on our website. it took me 12 years to pay off my college loans. i'm not a trust fund baby. most delawareans can relate to having to work hard to pay for their own college education. i was never dishonest about that. they made up an accusation about an irs tax lien. the irs said it was a mistake. they cleared it up right away. we gave my opponent and the republican administration, showing them that the irs had admitted to a computer error. they chose to ignore the truth because they don't have a record to stand on. and it's humiliating when the party gets behind this guy who they say is the only one who can

win. but doesn't stand for anything that the republican party stands for. so, they have to cling to these baseless accusations. and it's a shame because i want to go into this general election telling the delaware voters the proposals that i want to introduce in washington to get jobs back into delaware, to get our economy back on track. to take care of our veterans. and as we move forward, i hope that my democratic opponent learns the same lesson that my republican opponent learned. that dirty politics will backfire. in a state like delaware, where it's small enough to get to know all of the voters, that's exactly what we intend to do this next month and a half. it didn't work for castle. it won't work for the democrats. >> we will be watching. congratulations again. thanks for your time this morning. >> thank you. thank you. >> robin? >> all right, george. for the first time in over 400 days, american sarah shourd is a free woman, no longer in a prison in iran. and now reunited with her

family. two other americans remain behind bars. in a moment, we're going to talk to the mothers of these two men about efforts to set them free. first, the latest from jim sciutto, who joins us live from chicago. good morning, jim. >> reporter: good morning, robin. a good day for the shourd family. we're told that sarah was able to meet with her fellow hikers, josh fattal and shane bauer, before leaving iran. something very important to all three of them, before the emotional reunion with her family. she spent time with her family. a welcome relief from solitary confinement in iran's notorious prison. >> all of my efforts will go into helping produr the freedom for my fiance, shane bauer, and my friend, josh fattal. i can't enjoy my freedom without them. they deserve to be standing here with me. they don't deserve to be in prison a minute longer. >> reporter: back in the u.s.,

the fattal and bauer families are praying their loved ones will also be freed. we spoke with josh's brother, alex, at home in philadelphia. >> we profoundly share in the joy of the shourd family. and we want nothing more than to have that for our families, as well. >> reporter: but tehran's prosecutor offered little hope. saying they will now be tried for spying. and sarah knows what she says and does now could affect their legal fate. >> especially, particularly want to address president ahmadinejad and all of the iranian officials. and thank them for this humanitarian gesture. >> reporter: we asked "newsweek" reporter, who was held in the same prison, to watch before sarah was leaving iran, for signs she had been coached. >> my commitment to truth will not change. when i go back to my country. and i will never say anything but the truth to the media. and i will not succumb to any pressure. >> you can see the fear in her eyes.

people are forced to lie in order to survive. >> reporter: u.s. officials ensure that shourd will not be returning to iran for a trial. one thing she will be doing this morning is meeting with her doctors to evaluate her health. >> all right, jim. thank you very much. what about the two, young americans who remain behind bars in iran? their mothers join us now. sindhty hickey, mother of shane bauer. and nora fatal, mother of josh fattal. >> have you been able to speak to sarah or her mother? >> no. we're anxious to do that. >> what do you want to tell sarah? >> i want to tell her i love her. and i want her to tell me as much as she can about shane. how shane is. >> you did hear upon her release, and everyone feels, of course, she was very tense. and maybe that she was under a little pressure, that she's not able to really speak her mind at

this point, right? >> you know, we'll know when sarah's spoken to us. we just don't know right now. >> and you have not seen your boys. it's been almost four months now? >> yes. i was just counting in my head. on tuesday, on september 21st, it will have been four months. we had no phone calls. and no communication at all. we were in tehran four months ago, on tuesday. >> that's got to be excruciatinexcruciat excruciating. what was your first reaction? the moments you heard sarah would be coming home? >> it was a bittersweet moment. i was happy for sarah and her mom. and for us. we've become a great family. very sad that shane wasn't going to be coming with her. she and shane are going to be married. how hard it must have been for them to separate. >> do you worry about -- i know you always worry and are concerned about your sons. but their emotional state, knowing that sarah has been

released. do you think about that, laura? >> very much. and we very assured that sarah could say good-bye to both josh and shane. and that made us feel very good. we're very happy that sarah's released. and i think the boys are also very, very happy that sarah's released. and it's their turn now. and it's our turn to be able to have our kids back with us. it is almost 14 months of detention. it is enough. it is way too much. and it is really time to bring everyone home. >> the state department has issued a challenge to the president of iran, ahmadinejad, who is coming here to new york next week, to address the u.n., the general assembly. the challenge is to bring your boys with him. do you think that is a possibility? >> we're always hopeful. i certainly would hope that he considers that. i would like them released tomorrow. so, i hope he really takes that to heart. >> and we asked him last year. we asked president ahmadinejad, when he came to the u.n. general

assembly, to please bring all three of them. so, he has intervened. and he has released, with the whole iranian government, he's released sarah. so, it would be a fabulous humanitarian gesture, if he could bring shane and josh with him. >> what would you want to say directly to him? >> i would ask him that he treats this fairly. sarah's case was the same. please return shane and josh back to their families. it's taken a huge toll on us, physically and emotionally. >> what would you like to say, laura? >> just the mental and psychological pressure of being in prison. innocent hikers being in prison, for almost 14 months is almost manier than anyone can bear. and please have compassion on josh and shane. it's time for them to be released. >> laura and cindy, your grace and strength, amazing. i know you won't give up until

your boys are back with you, too. >> absolutely. >> thank you both very much for being with us. our thoughts continue to be with you. let's get to juju for the morning's other headlines. good morning, juju. >> good morning, robin. we begin with osama bin laden's number two man. he's out with a new message this morning. on the audiotape, ayman al zawahiri marked the ninth anniversary of what he calls the crusade in afghanistan. and urges husband muslims to rise up against pakistan's government. secretary of state hillary clinton is trying to come up with a deal as palestinians threaten to walk out of peace talks in jerusalem. the big issue, whether to extend the big settlement freeze. the iowa egg farm linked to the nationwide salmonella, knew about dangerous bacteria in its hen houses. that's according to congressional investigators. they want to know why the company didn't share the test results earlier. and they say any landing you can walk or cruel away from is a

good one. but watch this. these dramatic pictures of a glider plummeting nose-first on a runway at a british air show. you see the cockpit disintegrating around the piltd. he managed to do this. walk away with three broken vertebrae. >> he has to lie on his back for three weeks sto his spine can heal naturally. time for the weather. and let's say good morning to sam champion. >> i want to introduce you to the new power couple, igor and julia. you can see igor there. but this is julia putting herself together in the atlantic. neither one of the storms will threaten the u.s. coastline. but get a good look at the incredible formation of igor. if you look at the edge of the screen, the butterfly-shaped island is guadeloupe. it will turn away from the island. we're watching karl make its

move toward the mexican coastline. and both of the storms in the atlantic, the power couple. weaken and turn toward the atlantic. here's a look at where the storms are during the day today. there's powerful thunderstorms in the middle of the country. we're watching the storms to make a run at st. louis during the day today. another chilly start, but we have another beautiful afternoon with a mostly sunny sky. light breeze.

78 degrees. mid-50s overnight. tomorrow increasing clouds and we'll bump it up to 82. friday afternoon should see clearing. saturday 79. up to 83 and sun on sunday. fall may be making a push chicago all the way to new york. but from orlando to atlanta to new orleans to dallas, it's still in the 90s. a lot of summer heat in the state of texas, robin. >> still there. sam, thank you. we often hear about actors, musicians, athletes, doing all they can to win an award that says they are the best in their respective field. but giving up an oscar? mvp trophy? that's exactly what nfl star reggie bush just did. john berman has more on why he returned the coveted heisman trophy he won five years ago. >> reporter: it's the most prestigious award in college sports. the outstretched arm, the very symbol of excellence. but reggie bush is giving the

heisman trophy back. bush won the award in 2005, as an electrifying runningback with usc. now, in a statement, he says, each individual carries the legacy of the award. and each one is entrusted with its good name. it is for these reasons that i have made the difficult decision to forfeit my title as heisman winner. >> by his own admission today, he made some mistakes. and we are -- we've returned our heisman. he's returned his. >> reporter: bush, who now plays for the new orleans saints, hadn't given it back, it's very likely it would have been taken away. after a four-year investigation, the ncaa determined that bush and his family accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts from marketing agents, while he was at usc. this is the first time in its 75-year history the heisman has been forfeited. even with winners as ultimately scandalous as o.j. simpson. but what makes bush's case different is that the ncaa determined his violations meant

he was ineligible to play in 2005, the year he won. >> i think it wasn't reggie bush alone. but at the end of the day, he's the only one in the media that's been demonized for it. >> reporter: now, bush says he wants to start an educational program, to make sure others don't make the same mistakes he did. for "good morning america," john berman, abc news. >> could not have been an easy decision. i guess it's better to give it back than to have them take it away. >> absolutely. as he was talking. he's not alone. other people have gotten caught up in these kinds of issues. but he did the right thing there. >> giving it back. coming up, the battle of the bulge meets the big chill. can you get rid of fat by freezing it? a closer look at the procedure just approved by the fda. plus, can you imagine flying like this? practically standing up for an entire flight. becky worley tried to take a seat.

[ male announcer ] it's a universal gesture... ♪ a way of telling the world "you did it!"... without saying a word. introducing the mercedes-benz sls...amg. [ engine revs ] ♪ the best or nothing... that is what drives us. [ girls ] good. ♪ ♪ thank you! ♪ phew! [ ernie ] we make our cookies the way only keebler elves can: with a little something extra. so every bite can be uncommonly good. with a announcer:ething extra. if you could see how the ingredients in new nature made sleep help you fall asleep naturally... you'd be glad you tried it. new nature made sleep is the only leading brand

with the level of l-theanine, the relaxant found in green tea, clinically shown to effectively calm your mind. then its melatonin signals to your body that it's time to sleep. good night, world. find new nature made sleep in the sleep aisle. nature made. glad you took your vitamins. equals chili's $20 dinner for two. share an app, like our texas cheese fries. then choose two entrees from 14 chili's favorites, like our chicken fajitas with sizzling peppers and onions. the $20 dinner for two, only at chili's. but viva puts 35% more towel between you and the mess. 35% more? are you ready to take that 1-step? yes, i'm ready. beautiful. [ cheers and applause ] [ sandy ] try viva® and quit the quilt. beautiful. [ cheers and applause ] i'm ahmed mady and i'm a homebuilder. my father brought me up to give back to society... felicia jackson promised her late sister that she would take care of her children. but she needed help.

i used my american express open card to get half a million points to buy building materials to help build the jackson family a new home. well, i know if my dad was still around, he would have told me, with no doubt... he would have told me it's a no brainer and i knew that from the start. it was an honor. booming is moving forward by giving back.

good morning. once, again, we start off clear and chilly. welcome back centennial lane elementary. 54 degrees right now. we're looking at temperatures ranging from 58 there. 56 aberdeen. chester town 54 degrees. basically clear skies. maybe a few high clouds in the

afternoon. the weather system holds off until thursday and friday. enjoy today with a pleasant 78. >> i don't think the traffic is pleasant. >> we have heavy volume and slow going around the beltway on the west side at liberty road. it is moving around the loop but a stop and go situation. >> a major accident in pasadena has that closed. police are on the scene there. we're working a crash and an accident downtown at utah and lombard streets. here is megan. >> good morning. if you went to bed last night and you didn't know who won the race for the top prosecutor things look good for burnstein. he was leading by 1400 votes but we don't know who won due to absentee ballots. another close race, going to be

kevin, however neither side has declared victory nor conceded. go to abc 2.com. have a great morning. diabetes testing? it's all the same. nothing changes.

[ man ] then try this. new and improved freestyle lite® blood glucose test strip. sure, but it's not gonna -- [ beep ] wow. [ man ] yeah, that's the patented freestyle zipwik™ design. [ woman ] did it just -- target the blood? target the blood? yeah, it drew it right in. the test starts fast. you need just a third the blood of onetouch®. that is different. so freestyle lite test strips make testing... [ man ] easy? easy. [ man ] great. call or click -- we'll send you strips and a meter, free. free is good. [ man ] freestyle lite test strips. call or click today.

look at these before and after pictures. it's the newest way, approved by the fda, to get rid of fat. you can burn calories at the gym. but how about freezing off fat at the doctor's office? for a price, no doubt. does it work? we'll talk to some people who have tried it. we say good morning, america. on this wednesday morning. i'm robin roberts. >> and i'm george morning. stephanopoulos. also this morning, flying under the influence. get this story. a pilot was pulled from the cockpit just moments before taking off because authorities had gotten a tip that he was trying to fly drunk. we'll take a closer look at how off this happens. and look at these seats, speaking of flying. they've been called saddles with armrests. just 23 inches of leg room. >> come on. >> that's less trouble for me than you. but still. >> it could be. first in this half hour, george, the connecticut father,

who took the stand to face the man accused of killing his wife and two daughters. andrea canning was there in the new haven courtroom, to hear the testimony as he relived that horrific night. andrea? >> reporter: good morning, robin. it was a difficult day. but it has been delay after delay for dr. william petit. he waited so long for the trial to start. now, he can see the two men who haunted his family in that home invasion, brought to justice. after three, long years, dr. william petit, finally came face-to-face with steven hayes, the man accused of killing his entire family. >> mostly focused on the questions i was being asked. tried to do the best i could for my family. >> reporter: on the stand, petit relived the terror of that july night in 2007, when hayes and his accomplice, broke into his house. >> i remember i awoke in a daze. thinking and feeling, ow.

petit says the men bound his wrists and ankles. and tied him to a pole in the basement. hours passed. then, he heard his wife, jennifer. i heard her say that she would need to get dressed. and need to get her purse and checkbook to get to the bank. hayes drove jennifer to the bank. petrified, she told the teller, she needed to withdraw $15,000. police say hayes and petit returned home where she was sexually assaulted. the girls were tied to their beds. petit said he may have heard the men's voices and moaning. someone said, are you all right? it's going to be all over in a couple of minutes. it was a different tone. it was much more sinister. i felt a jolt of adrenaline. and thought it's now or never in my mind. at that moment, i thought they were going to shoot all of us. petit managed to get his hands untied, but not his feet. i hopped up to the stairs.

got to the top and fell. still pound, petit literally rolled to a neighbor's house. his wife and daughters died after the suspects set the home on fire. the men were caught later by police while driving the family's minivan. the defense chose not to cross-examine dr. petit. >> to question him would be disastrous for the hearts of the jury. that's what the defense attorneys need. >> reporter: both men are now facing the death penalty. and take a look at this man. this is a juror who was excused from the case yesterday. in a bizarre twist, he read a letter to the judge in open court, telling him he felt the prosecution was unprepared. at that time, the judge thought he may taint the jury. so, he excused him. >> that's four jurors that have been excused for various reasons. you were in the courtroom. tell us the demeanor of steven hayes as dr. petit was giving

his testimony. >> reporter: on day one, he was very catatonic. yesterday, he was very involved. looking at the evidence. talking to his attorneys. some people described it that the monster had awoken. what gai me a sick feeling was watching dr. petit and steven hayes looking at the photos together. that had to be difficult for dr. petit. >> we continue to think of him and the petit family. we turn, now, to the story of the delta pilot that may have been trying to flil drunk. he was in the cockpit in amsterdam, when police removed him. they received a tip that he may have been drinking. lisa stark has the latest on this from reagan national airport this morning. good morning, lisa. >> reporter: good morning, george. there's very strict rules regarding drinking and flying. there needs to be a minimum of eight hours between the time a pilot takes a drink and then climbs into the cockpit. the big question this morning is

whether this delta pilot violated those rules and potentially put hundreds of passengers at risk. according to one report, the boeing 767 had already pulled away from the gate, when dutch police, acting on a tip, stopped the plane. the delta captain was given a breath test. the associated press report hess registered at 0.023, just over the legal limit in the nether lands. >> there is no tolerance for any alcohol in the bloodstream of any pilot on duty, anytime for any reason. >> reporter: delta, who suspended the pilot while the investigation is under way, told abc news, our policy is among one of the strictest in the industry. and we have no tolerance for violations. earlier this month, an american airlines pilot was suspected of drinking and taken off a flight in dallas. last month, it was a pilot at london's heathrow airport. and in may 2009, an american airlines pilot arrested after

failing a breath test. back in 2002, two america west pilots were spotted drinking. and tsa screeners smelled alcohol on their breath. they were picked up just before the plane left the ground. >> alcohol? >> excellent. >> yeah. >> you're one crazy man. >> flying. >> reporter: these are actors, not pilots, from abc's "what would you do"? testing whether bystanders would take action if they saw this. >> you've had drinks, right? >> yeah. >> are you fine with drinks? >> we'll be all right. >> we don't fly for 45 minutes. >> 45 minutes? wow. >> reporter: despite the concern, almost no one tried to stop or report the pilots. >> maybe what we're seeing here is an increased intolerance of federal crew members and the public to put up with anything like this. >> reporter: now, we should mention, this isn't a widespread problem. just like the general population, there are a

percentage of pilots that have alcohol problems. a number of decades ago, this was realized. the government, the faa, set up programs, a program for these pilots. and in fact, it has successfully returned about 4,000 pilots to the cockpit. we'll have to see how this one turns out. george? >> okay, lisa. thanks very much. it is time, now, for the weather. sam is right here. >> good morning, george. we're going to show you something unusual this morning that we think might happen. there's a powerful thunderstorm complex right in the middle of kansas. we think it's going to run almost all day long, through kansas city. and make it towards st. louis. if it does, that's the dorechio that we've seen. on the cold front from des moines to kansas city to watch to, it's possible to see severe weather. minneapolis, it is south of you. in southern minnesota, the storms could roll there. look at the heat. from san antonio, to houston, to new orleans, to tallahassee,

orlando. miami's a few degrees cooler, but only because of the clouds that are there. chicagoland, pittsburgh, some of the cool air that's taking over. but warm air is holding on in some places all that weather was brought to you by campbell's soup. george? >> thank you, sam. when we come back, freezing away fat. could this be the easiest way to lose those love handles. did you say, i'm in, sam? >> let's go. ere? dancing there? flying there? how about eating soup to get there? delicious campbell's soups fill you with good nutrition, energy,

farm-grown ingredients, and can help you keep a healthy weight. helping you get to a happier place. have a nice trip. campbell's. it's amazing what soup can do. words alone aren't enough. our job is to listen and find ways to help workers who lost their jobs to the spill. i'm iris cross. we'll keep restoring the jobs, tourist beaches, and businesses impacted by the spill. we've paid over $400 million in claims and set up a $20 billion independently-run claims fund. i was born in new orleans. my family still lives here. i'm gonna be here until we make this right.

[ animals calling ] ♪ [ pop ] [ man ] ♪ well, we get along ♪ yeah, we really do - ♪ and there's nothing wrong - [ bird squawks ] ♪ with what i feel for you ♪ i could hang around till the leaves are brown and the summer's gone ♪ [ announcer ] when you're not worried about potential dangers, the world can be a far less threatening place. take the scary out of life with travelers insurance... and see the world in a different light. but where do we go next? ...8, 9, 10... come on, boots. this way? [ kids ] ready or not... here we come!!! wow. [ beep ] boots, did you hear that? ♪ found you! found you! [ male announcer ] the volkswagen routan.

awarded "most appealing minivan." the only minivan with the soul of a volkswagen. now with 0% apr for 60 months. ♪ everyone knows a fee is a tax. you raised some taxes during that period, particularly the property tax as well as a lot of fee increases. as you know, there's a big difference between fees and taxes. but...they're the same. it's a tax. it's a tax. it's a tax. it's a tax. there's a big difference between fees and taxes. fees and taxes are one in the same. if it comes out of my pocket, it's a tax. now he says it isn't true. we didn't raise taxes. what? still doing the same thing, paying out more money. typical politician. definitely. and we turn, now, to new tactics in the battle of the bulge. the government recently gave market clearance for two, new

procedures to target fat in hard-to-trim love handles. one freezes the cells. the other zaps them with a laser. there are questions about whether this is really safe. juju is here with more. this is a story you covered before they were approved. before the procedures were approved. >> reporter: absolutely, george. and the fda seal of approval can be a bonanza for the fat-fighting devices. they have been used by dermatologists for some time. but now, you can expect to see ad campaigns touting the fda's announcement. for former dancer and exerciser, lisa potanak couldn't get rid of a little tummy bulge. so, eight months ago, she tried to freeze the fat off, at the doctor's office, using a procedure called zeltiq. what were you trying to get rid of? >> the little tummy. >> reporter: zeltiq were to cool

the skin before procedures. now, the fda has cleared the device, with another device, for body contouring. zeltiq uses a jell patch. by freezing the fat cells inside the body, it causes them to self-destruct and be reabsorbed over several months. the other method is a low-energy laser, focused on trouble areas. neither method requires surgery. >> this is a big deal. it's the first time the fda has cleared a noninvasive fat reduction technology. it doesn't replace diet and exercise. they're another option for a subset of patients that want to take a lilt off. >> reporter: we caught up with lisa, to see how she's feeling eight months after freezing her fat. what was the procedure like? >> at first, it was a strange pulling feeling. and a little painful.

after about five or ten minutes, you basically get numb. >> reporter: lisa says she's lost just about half an inch. but she hasn't put the weight back on. and says the $1,500 fee was well worth it. does it make you feel better? >> absolutely. >> reporter: in what way? >> bathing suit. the summertime. the jeans. wearing tighter clothing and not feeling like i have that little bulge. >> now, it can cost you anywhere from $500 to usually a couple thousand dollars. they're often sold in packages, these treatments. and it's a good idea to see a plastic surgeon or a dermatologist. >> when you look at the two procedures, the laser versus the freezing, which one has more evidence behind it? >> the fat freezing has a better grounding in scientific evidence for effectiveness. the laser, because it's the first of its kind approved, there isn't as much scientific, robust evidence. that said, the candidates for these are people who are not obese. people who are sort of clearly near ideal body weight, who just

have that little nagging thing they want to get rid of. >> both better than liposuction. >> for less evasive. >> would you try something like this? go to abcnews.com/gma and weigh in on our shoutout board. and next, the big squeeze. would you fly in that seat? hey, parker, want to race home? bet i could beat you there.

[ male announcer ] with its 43 safety features, like the parkview rear back-up camera... hi, sweetie. there you are. [ male announcer ] ...electronic vehicle information center, and rear cross path detection system, now available in the safety tech package, the chrysler town & country is a safe bet to make. ♪ [ female announcer ] we've got stains, down to a science. new wisk, with our breakthrough stain spectrum technology targets all the major stain groups

like particulates and oils. its enzymes and cleaning agents fight a full range of stains. ♪ you'll never look at stains, the same way again. for a more powerful clean, try new wisk. fight stains with science.

♪ i just want to fly note ♪ at around the watercooler, just when you thought flying couldn't get tighter, the faa is looking to approve an even smaller seat plan for a new class below economy. below coach. becky worley checked out this proposed new way to fly. >> reporter: it has a saddle, a seat. it's called the skyrider. part saddle. it's very upright. very close. part sardine can. and may be the future of economy travel. this one has a bump in the mid.

and the leg room, seven inches less than most economy seats. how tall are you? >> 6'2". >> reporter: how are your legs fating? >> not at all. >> reporter: it's possible to fit a laptop. >> passengers are happy. they pay a fare considerably less than before. >> reporter: 30% less, he claims. how? well, with these seats, discount airlines are able to squeeze in a lot more passengers. after 20 minutes in this seat, i'm starting to lose feeling on my backside. >> is the airline going to compensate passengers when they're knees look like this? >> reporter: if this was a class, could you do it? >> i couldn't do it. >> reporter: the seats have not yet received federal approval. the faa told us while they test for safety, they have no requirements for seat size or leg room. >> i'm six feet tall. >> reporter: what do you think?

>> it hurts. it's very painful. >> reporter: it's unclear if this is the future of discount flights. but for me -- >> i'm ready to get off this plane. >> becky's like, i'm out of here. >> what if you're sitting on the plane. and the pilot says, we have a ground hold? like seven hours. i mean, come on. >> yeah. >> there would be a riot. >> cowboys rode eight hours on horses on a saddle. this is like torture. >> they're saying some airlines that are going to be unnamed right now, are showing interest. so, this could possibly be happening. people said maybe on the shorter flights. but still. there's no -- >> only on a very, very clear day. or a very close flight. right? >> what do you call that class of service, below coach? >> sterij. >> cargo. coming up, the secrets

behind one of america's fast-growing fast food chains. and jennifer sud hahn will be here. come on back. [ female announcer ] lean cuisine presents... the book of truth. food myth #9. [ woman ] chopping, peeling and sauteing can be kinda relaxing at the end of the day. [ female announcer ] relaxing? for who? for fresh taste without the fuss, try new market creations from lean cuisine. the new garlic chicken is freshly steamed in this revolutionary steam pouch that unlocks the flavors of tender white meat chicken, crisp farm picked veggies and al dente pasta, for a steamed dinner like never before. now that's fresh thinking. new market creations from lean cuisine.

keep life delicious. announcer: if you could see fhow the ingredients in new nature made sleep help you fall asleep naturally, you'd be glad you tried it. first l-theanine, the relaxant in green tea, calms your mind. then melatonin signals it's time to sleep. nature made. glade you took your vitamins. [ female announcer ] only roc® retinol correxion deep wrinkle night cream is clinically proven to give 10 years back to the look of skin. diminishing the look of even deep wrinkles. 10 years? i'll take that! [ female announcer ] roc® we keep our promises. 10 years? i'll take that! [ female announcer ] this morning, the best part of wakin' up is aroma so rich and enticing, flavor so smooth that it could only be special roast. from folgers.

good morning. just minutes away from 8:00 on this chilly morning for some of you. temperatures are running through the 50s at 7:56 on the clock. 59. you'll notice a mostly clear sky although there are clouds that will filter in just like yesterday, but some will dominate. it is 62 in manchester. we have clear skies. we'll watch the next weather system with high clouds toy da. the next approach of rain western maryland by thursday evening. that could pass on to friday morning setting the stage for a warmup by the end of the weekend. today, a pleasant 78. we've back into the 50s once again overnight. let's check with traffic right

now. >> justin we're jammed on the west side of the outer loop. solid delays from 795 to i 70. they are running close to over 12 minutes. as we look at our cameras here we are on the west side at liberty road. at a stop rand go situation. looking similar to that. we're working a few accidents around the area. 50 westbound toward 97, that is blocking one of the exit ramps. expect delays. in pasadena, one lane open. you can use the bridge road as an alternate. a crash at old court road and greenwood road and in baltimore city, two accidents. the crash still lingers there. we're sending it back to "good morning america". i'm bob ehrlich.

i'm not the kind of guy who likes to hang on the sidelines. today maryland is in trouble. we're worse off than we were four years ago. dangerous debt, higher taxes, not enough jobs. we need real leadership to turn this state around. fix the budget -- honestly. grow small businesses -- really. excellent schools -- everywhere. protect the bay -- finally. it's why i'm running. to make the state we love not just good but great. now let's get down to work.

♪ well, i talk about it

talk about it ♪ ♪ talk about it talk about it ♪ everybody's in a good mood this morning. our shoutout board has been lighting up in the last 24 hours. and my personal e-mail has, as well, since my interview with ines sainz, the reporter that was facing allegations of ith harass. >> a lot of people talking about her dress. and a lot of people talking about your interview. >> and we'll have patricia heaton and cokie roberts tackle that on "the morning mix." also, patricia will stick around in our next half hour. she has her hit show, "the middle." she wants to take your questions by e-mail.

get them in now. logon to abcnews.com. send in questions for patricia heaton. >> it's a funny show. she would love to answer your questions. get them in. also, we're taking a chef's tour of some of the fastest-growing restaurants all around the country. had ice cream yesterday. >> mexican today. >> chipotle. what is it about this mexican restaurant that has it on the fast track to success. we'll reveal the secrets behind the burrito. >> say that again. >> burrito. [ cheers ] i normally don't roll my "rs" like that. and jennifer hudson's going to be here, as well. coming up in our next half hour. she looks fantastic. with weight watchers, helping people feel better about themselves. she's coming in raising money for a good cause. and has great recipes and breakfast recipes. let's get back upstairs with juju and the morning's news. >> good morning, everyone.

we begin with an upset victory for the tea party. and maybe for democrats. christine o'donnell has defeated a mainstream republican candidate for the delaware senate seat, thanks to help from sarah palin. tea party candidates have defeated establishment ones in seven republican primaries, with new hampshire undecided. most are not expected to prevail in the general election, pretty much eliminating the republicans' chances of taking back the senate. in texas, the death toll from flooding becaused by remnants of tropical storm hermine, has reached eight, after the discovery of two more bodice. one was the mother of two, found in a lake after her suv was swept off the road last week. citing lack of evidence, toyota is asking a federal judge to throw out hundreds of lawsuits, claiming sudden acceleration in its vehicles. the company says plaintiff's lawyers have yet to identify any defects. all cases have been assigned to one court in california. this morning, we're hearing the confusion of the massive

explosion in california last week. the 911 tapes show that firefighters had no idea what hit them. our neal karlinsky shows us. >> we're going to need every p.d. officer we can. >> reporter: the radio traffic shows that first responders knew this was no ordinary fire. but they had no idea what it was. >> there's a plane down. we're getting multiple responses. >> reporter: surveillance tape, which was taken at the moment of the blast, looks like a possible plane crash. firefighters thought they were dealing with a commercial plane crash for a full 45 minutes. they saw this burned chunk of pipe lying in the road and thought it was part of an airplane. many of the firefighters who fought to save this neighborhood live here. they rushed in on their own, volunteering for what seemed an impossible fight. >> we think we have a broken water main. >> reporter: firefighter after firefighter called in their frustration. there was no water. >> we're going to disconnect hose lines and back up to a

safer position, until we get water. >> there were citizens helping us drag fire hose. and it was all hands on deck. >> reporter: it would take hours to get the gas turned off and the fire under control. nearly a week later, these brave firefighters aren't shy about the experience. they say it was scary. for "good morning america," neal karlinsky, abc news, san bruno, california. and following up on another story we first told you about yesterday. an fda panel has decided cough medicines should continue to be sold over the counter. the panel says there's no reason to believe requirement prescription would decrease abuse. and there was a wild police chase in houston. a murder suspect hijacked this car, speeding up to 100 miles per hour, before slamming into a truck with four people inside. he fled on foot, even tossing a gun, while he ran. there you see it. eventually, he fell. and now, he is behind bars. diane sawyer, now, with a preview of tonight's "world news." diane?

>> and a good wednesday, to you, juju. tonight on "world news," what defines a family? how -- what does everybody at home think is an american family? and is it the same as their neighbors? we're going to show you the modern american family. and let you compare yours to that. and it's coming up tonight on "world news." >> we look forward to that. and that's the news at 8:05. time for the weather with sam champion. sam, how much longer can i be in denial? >> you know you can't ask me a question when the audience is yelling. you what? >> how long can i be in denial that summer is coming to an end? >> summer? everybody raise your hands for fall? juju, we're outvoted. everybody here is terribly into fall. love you guys. let's talk about fashion week. you're here for that. i don't know anything about fashion week. what happened?

>> we attend some shows. and maybe a party or two. >> we love new york. >> i do, too. welcome in. >> i don't know. >> welcome in. whatever works. welcome in. let's get to the boards. one or two things going on we want to show you. we'll talk about minneapolis first. a live shot there. you're out of the strong to severe weather. but there could be heavy rain for you. here's where the strong storms kick up. just south of minneapolis. through omaha, des moines, kansas city, wichita, st. lo

i just met the president of the sewing guild. very nice to meet you. our president. nice to meet you. robin? >> they are a lovely group. thank you, sam. we have more secrets of america's favorite restaurants. and bianna golodryga goes behind the scenes of chipotle. one of the fastest-growing chains. the power of the burrito. >> reporter: you love salsa. and america's love for mexican food is one of the secrets to chipotle's success. despite the xhishg downturn, the revenue jumped 20%. and its stock hit annual time high this month. while burger chains have dominated the fast food industry, an expanding american

pallet could soon mean that burgers have nothing on burritos. thanks to a company named after a jalapeno pepper. but a quirky name and alternative menu aren't the only things that separate chipotle from its fast food competitors. the only thing they have in common, is fast food. something chipotle customers are quick to point out. >> i don't feel it is fast food. it doesn't feel as heavy. >> i think most people associate fast food with cheap, highly-processed, not very good for you. not really any kind of a dining experience. more of just fuel. and we at chipotle don't think it has to be that way. we spend hours and hours prepping in the morning. chopping up onions and marinading meats. >> reporter: in 1990, colorado native steven els opened the first chipotle restaurant in denver. his mission was to make the fast food experience better.

by introducing what is now the company's core motto, food with integrity. >> we bring ingredients cooked according to classic methods. and served in a format to elevate the level of fast food. >> reporter: most of chipotle's ingredie ingredients, from vegetables to pork, are grown organically. in total, chipotle serves more than 45 million pounds of chicken a year. as for tortillas, the restaurant is expected to go through 126 million this year alone. and then, there's the guac. every day, chipotle goes through 82,000 pounds of avocados. more than any other restaurant chain. while chipotle spends more on its produce than more of its rivals, it's also what draws in more than 750,000 customers a day. the restaurants use slightly more mayo, which may explamrapln

videos like these. ♪ it tastes so good in your face ♪ ♪ chipotle >> reporter: why a cult following? els says there's a secret to that, too. limit the menu selection. in fact, chipotle only sells four, main items. but the company claims those staples can be combined into up to 65,000 variations. why not expand your menu, on to dessert? anything, aside from just the burritos? >> people ask me why i don't expand the menu, for years now. i think it's simple. if you can focus on just a few things and do them better than anyone else, people are going to come back, again and again. >> reporter: another secret, show them what they're eating and how it's prepared. every chipotle restaurant offers an open kitchen and line. this is a dream of mine. can i build my burrito.

love black beans. a few peppers. a lot of tomatoes. salsa. have to get the guac. and the last thing to chipotle's success, fast food doesn't have to be on the go. each restaurant is decorated with mayan artwork, and music. enticing the customer to eat in. if they have time. this is to go. back to the office. my football of the burrito that they created. you prefer things like fajitas. and they have the option of making a fajita salad. you don't have to stick with the heavier foods. >> there's a difference between this restaurant. >> reporter: people have the fast food experience without the fast food aspect of it. >> can i tell you how much i love it? >> reporter: great. >> they're thinking of going with breakfast. >> reporter: they're expanding

their menu. but for els, he thinks they have the winning ticket here. >> burritos for my friends. look at sam with the guac. he has the guac. make sure -- see there? all right. that's all good. you can watch bianna's reports -- we've been up very early. that's why we have a heavy appetite. on the secrets of the olive garden and dairy queen on our website. and get chipotle's recipe for park tack xoeps check it out at abcnews.com/gma. back away from the chips. "gma's morning mix," patricia heaton and cokie roberts sound off with george next. they're oven-baked flatbread crisps. ♪ with the tastes of sea salt and olive oil. ♪ or sprinkled with italian herbs. ♪ townhouse flatbread crisps. they're perfect for snack time, party time, any time. ♪

new townhouse flatbread crisps. the everyday cracker with the specially-crafted taste. new townhouse flatbread crisps. words alone aren't enough. my job is to listen to the needs and frustrations of the shrimpers and fishermen, hotel or restaurant workers who lost their jobs to the spill. i'm iris cross. bp has taken full responsibility for the clean up in the gulf and that includes keeping you informed. our job is to listen and find ways to help. that means working with communities. restoring the jobs, tourist beaches, and businesses impacted by the spill. we've paid over $400 million in claims and set up a $20 billion independently-run claims fund to cover lost income until people impacted can get back to work. and our efforts aren't coming at tax-payer expense. i know people are wondering-- now that the well is capped, is bp gonna meet its commitments? i was born in new orleans.

my family still lives here. i'm gonna be here until we make this right. new aveeno positively radiant tinted moisturizers, with scientifically proven soy complex and natural minerals

give you sheer coverage instantly, then go on, to even skin tone in four weeks. new aveeno tinted moisturizers. as they do at the beginning ? only air optix® contact lens materials have tricomfort™ technology. they let up to five times more oxygen through the lens than traditional soft contact lenses... ...are designed to retain moisture for comfort all day long... and have superior deposit resistance for cleaner lenses. air optix®, the lens you can survive a long day in. go to airoptix.com for a free one-month trial offer.

and it is time, now, for "the morning mix." we already started here. on tap, the female football reporter that's burning up the internet for unwanted calls from the jets locker room.

another big win for the tea from party. another big and outrageous week for lady gaga. joining me at "the morning mix" table this morning, patricia heaton, star of "the middle." and our own cokie roberts. and i want to start with the story of ines sainz. she got balls thrown at her by the new york jets. got cat calls in the locker room. a media sensation. being investigated by the nfl. and a redskins player is in hot water. clinton portis. he says, you put a woman in a locker room and you give her a choice of 53 athletes, somebody has got to be appealing to her. >> i think he gets in trouble. >> he has apologized. >> i think what i cover. i cover congress. if i was in a locker room with 53 congressmen -- i don't think so. >> you don't dress like that. >> that's also true. >> my feeling is, man or woman, who wants to go into a sweaty,

smelly locker room? i don't go into my boys' bedroom. i have four teenage boys. and i haven't seen them in years because i won't go near where they change. i don't know why anyone, why we need to talk to football players in their jock straps. anybody need to see that? >> sports reporters do need to -- they don't need to see it. they can avert their gaze. but they have to go where the players are to do the interviews. it's interesting how the nfl really did apologize. and they're investigating. i suppose that's a good thing. >> i guess. but when i spoke to her yesterday, i have to tell you, she didn't sound all that bothered by it. she said someone else brought the charges. if they want to investigate it. i'm telling you, all day long, my e-mails were going crazy. we said our shoutout board. they really weren't completely on her side. >> no. >> they were saying, you dress like that, you basically -- >> that doesn't look -- i haven't seen this until just now.

that doesn't look crazy outrageous. >> that's just jeans and a shirt. >> i thought she was in some victoria secret -- >> i wouldn't dress like that -- >> she has a nice tail. i now see the problem. i spoke too soon. and now, i'm completely bitter. you know what she's doing? she's wearing those bumps, isn't she? have you seen the bumps you can buy online. >> their website is devoted. >> it works for her because she got all kinds of publicity. you see how cute she is. and she's not the harpee saying, they were mean to me. >> a another woman who had a lot working for her last night, christine o'donnell. this is being called the political upset of the year. she credited sarah palin, in my interview with her in my first half hour. and she as a sarah palin vibe. >> look at her. >> sarah palin is on a roll this primary season. people she has supported, not

all of them, but most have won. and many have come from behind. i think the democrats are making a huge mistake if they think tea party candidates are easily beatable. is a year where people are really angry. i think a lot of the people will end up in the united states senate. >> that's where the energy is. republicans were taking christine on last night. do you understand the anger going on? do you feel it? >> first of all, i read that, christine o'donnell, has not held down a regular job. >> she was taking money from her campaign. >> right. yeah. that's sort of an actor's life. i don't see anything wrong with that. although, you wouldn't want me running anything. maybe she shouldn't be there. i don't know. yeah. i think out in the midwest, where my show is set, "the middle," i think it's just, people are tired of being passed over. not listened to. and having their taxes raised and feeling like nothing's getting better.

>> you know, anybody in office is blamed. >> everyone in office. >> the washington mayor lost yesterday. and i was talking to a voter in washington who said he was going to vote against him because the parking meters are too high. that's not going to change, i said to this person. but, you know, that -- it's just everything is bad. >> yes. as a former resident of washington. the parking meters -- >> the parking meters are high. right about that. >> meanwhile, there's going to be an ad coming out in washington, just today, that i'm going to get your opinion on. it is a very hard-edge ad that takes on mcdonald's. it was set by the physicians committee for responsible medicine. in the beginning of the ad, you see a woman in a morgue, crying over the corpse of presumably her husband. then, it goes on to say this. >> high cholesterol, high blood pressure, tonight, make it vegetarian. >> wait. it's a physicians group. and they go make it vegetarian?

that's very suspect right there. and also, people have a choice whether they want to eat at mcdonald's or not. so, i mean. we're all adults here. >> there was plenty of heart disease before there was mcdonald's. i do think -- look. everybody has a right to play the ad. and they have a right to eat at mcdonald's. both are true. >> she was standing up for her rights the other day. let's get the ad off there. we have one more minute. show lady gaga at the vmas. taking the stage in a dress made of meat. can you get closer? that is real meat. she is flanked in steaks. >> if i had gotten an emmy nomination, i was going to wear that. but since i wasn't, it became available. >> apparently, it's not available. peta says it stinks under the lights. they issued a statement. it was pretty disgusting. look, lady gaga was raised by the same order oaf nuns that i was. and we went to the same commons.

and i think the real problem there, she's wasting the meat. there's people that can eat that meat. and have a good meal. >> we are out of time. you're coming back in the next half hour. >> yeah. >> thanks very much. cokie roberts and patricia heaton. we'll be right back. quilted is towel speak for air.

but viva puts 35% more towel between you and the mess. 35% more? are you ready to take that 1-step? yes, i'm ready. beautiful. [ cheers and applause ] [ sandy ] try viva® and quit the quilt. beautifuannouncer: if you could see [ cheers and applause ] how the ingredients in new nature made sleep help you fall asleep naturally... you'd be glad you tried it. new nature made sleep

is the only leading brand with the level of l-theanine, the relaxant found in green tea, clinically shown to effectively calm your mind. then its melatonin signals to your body that it's time to sleep. good night, world. find new nature made sleep in the sleep aisle. nature made. glad you took your vitamins. i'm chef michael, and i love to delight bailey's senses.too. don't i? [ barks ] because i think food speaks a language of love.

that's what inspired me to rethink dry dog food. [ female announcer ] chef michael's canine creations. [ chef michael ] mmm. tender shredded pieces made with real meat... and crunchy garnishes to enhance the mealtime experience. yes, bailey-- just for you. [ barks ] [ female announcer ] chef inspired, dog desired. chef michael's canine creations. that were a promise to himself and to the world. a promise to invent the first automobile... and to keep reinventing it. to build the type of cars that define true "performance"... while never sacrificing their true "beauty." and to introduce innovations that help save lives and the planet. four simple words mercedes-benz lives by to this day. "the best or nothing." that is what drives us.

good morning, 8:27. sun glare could be the issue this morning. probably the only weather issue. if anybody has patchy fog that's already burned off, we have ourselves a lot of sun. 53 on the thermometer owings mills at the harbor school. official temperature, 59 in baltimore. back towards easton. 53 york, pennsylvania. 50s into western maryland. we'll respond like yesterday with nice temperatures and seasonable this afternoon. which brings us to about 78 degrees, upper limit of our two-degree guarantee. some of your backyards may reach 80. let's see what's happening on the roads right now. let's see what's happening with kim brown. >> you're not reaching 80 this morning, especially not on the beltway. no problems, in terms of accidents, just a lot of heavy volume, pretty lengthy delays, especially across the top side of that outer loop. delays running between about 25 minutes, approaching delaney valley road. allow yourself extra time there. couple accidents to let you know

about. old court road, the second accident, windsor mill. here's jamie with your morning news update. >> we're still waiting for the final count, the ballots on the race for city state's attorney, gregg bernstein narrowly leads patricia jessamy. you have the absentee ballots, they're still to be counted. long time u.s. senator, barbara mikulski won the primary, she'll face off against republican eric wargots. peter franchot on the democratic side, he'll be challenged in the november election by william henry campbell, former chief financial officer with the department of veteran affairs. good morning america now continues at 7:30.

♪ boy, you want to be ashamed of yourself ♪ we know that voice. jennifer hudson. you know, she's a new mom. her son's about a year now. she has a fabulous, new look. and she has a new way to help others lose weight. and get in shape. jennifer hudson is here live in our studio. fabulous breakfast, because as everyone's going back to schools, some ways to get your kids to have that healthy breakfast in the morning. we say good morning. alongside george, i'm robin. >> we have a lot of stars. patricia heat season coming back. she had fun on "the morning mix." there she is right now. there's her hit sitcom "the middle." season debut is next week. she gives us a sneak peek today. >> you blend in so well, patricia. where is she?

our audience. and we also have a big announcement this morning. last week, i left here to go do stand up to cancer. that was held in los angeles, that fund-raiser for cancer research. and happy to report that we raised close to -- over $80 million. >> $80 million. >> $80 million. >> that is fantastic. >> so, since the inception of "stand up to cancer" two years ago, that's closing in on $200 million. 100% of the money goes right to the doctors and research, to really find a way. >> that is going to make a difference. that is great. >> thank you, all. thank you all for calling in and making your contributions. sam, what have you got? >> i'm completely out of it. but i'm being educated now. fashion week in new york. where are you guys from? >> chicago. >> tell me why you're here for fashion week. what goes on? >> we came to enjoy all of the shows. we are fashion students in chicago. >> it happens in lincoln center this year, right?

>> yes. >> favorite designer, if you could only pick one. >> betsey johnson. >> oh. all right. would you agree? >> yes. >> wow. let's get to the boards. one or two things we want to show you this morning. we'll start with the twitter pictures. a whole, wide range of it. including the cumulus clouds in the nether lands. and a little lightning coming up at cocoa beach. and the hailstorms in blue hill, nebraska, right? he and all that weather was brought to you by mercedes-benz. robin? >> all right, sam.

in an ideal world, raising children will come with a laugh track. until then, we have shows like "the middle," which gives us an unvarnished and very funny look at life with little ones running around the house, and not so little ones. the season premiere, a week from today. and here to talk about it is the star, emmy award-winning, patricia heaton. you get double-pay today. around "the morning mix." now, here talking to me. >> yeah. good to be here. >> very excited about the new season, a week from today. and this is quite different from your role in "everyone loves raymond," even though it's dealing with family. >> initially, when i was offered the job, i thought, i just finished playing a mom for nine years. why would i want to do this again? but the fact is, it's from the mother's point of view. that gives the show a different feel. and we're more about going into the community and the family. sort of exploring the midwest.

you know? exploring -- that's part of the character. one of the character of the show is being in the midwest. i think it's a great -- you know, slice of life, where i grew up and where the writers grew up. everything about it is really great. >> so, for few people who have not seen it, we have a clip. here is "the middle." >> mike, where are the school supplies? >> i don't know. you said you were going to steal some from work? >> i've taken too much. ellen is on to me. >> this is not the way to start my first year on cross country. >> a pencil. a paper clip. >> you have a sandwich in here from last year. that's disgusting. and you got an "a" on your i love winter paper. good job. >> yeah. that led a writer in "parade" magazine, he said of your show. not since the show "roseanne," has a show reflected real life of american families, like the hit sitcom, "the middle." >> i think that's right. i have often thought not since

"roseanne," has there been a middle-class family. and it reflects the struggles of economically what's going on today. and parents, especially mothers, trying to juggle and keep a balance with working. frankie is a car dealership sales person. >> not a very good one. >> not a very good one. highly unsuccessful one, as a matter of fact. you take the problems and you put them in a light and give them some perspective. at the end of the day, it's about having your family there with you. and it reflects i think a very american optimism, of getting through. we get through with our humor intact and our family and loved ones around us. >> and you share with george, you have four teenage sons. >> yeah. >> do you bring any of that with you? >> i was -- franky, i was doing a scene as franky. she's at work. she's supposed to be working. and she's on the phone with the school, trying to put out a fire, a problem at school with

one of her kids. while i was filming that scene, at work, i was on the phone, with my kid's school. it's such a twilight zone. i don't know which is my life and which is franky's life. they're all one. and it's one continuum. if i can't tell the difference between my own life and franky's life, we've hit a nerve. >> i remember that episode. no wonder it seemed so real. we asked viewers to write in. they have. and one of them you already kind of answered. it's from jeffrey in eugene. i loved "everybody loves raymond." which show do you find more challenging and why? >> raymond was filmed in front of a live audience. we had four days to rehearse. the audience came in and the cameras came in. on this show, we shoot every day, without an audience, with cameras. and there's no rehearsal time to speak of. on "raymond," i worked probably five hours a day.

on this show, i work a minimum of 12 hours and sometimes 15 hours a day. >> really? >> it's a big difference. you know, the reason i felt, that was a concern of mine, being away from the kids so much. actually, they're in school from 7:00 in the morning until almost 5:00 in the afternoon. by the time they get home and finish with sports. then, they do their homework. or they don't do their homework. who knows? it doesn't seem to be an issue with boys. they're perfectly happy with "cs," i found out. >> is that true? is that a difference? >> the only college they're going to be able to get into is the online phoenix university or -- >> hey. >> big endorsement for them. another question. this one from tammy. where does your comedy inspiration come from? >> i just -- i think if you're a mom, if you aren't laughing, you'd be crying all day long. i think the inspiration just comes from, you know, just the funny stuff your kids say.

and trying to keep life going and keep it balanced. and never having it work. you have to throw up your hands. have a little gratitude. >> you do it beautifully. >> thanks. >> continued success. thank you so much. you're always so kind. >> thanks for having me. >> the season premiere of "the middle," wednesday nights, at 8:007:00 central, where? right here on abc. coming up, an amazing story. the first person to be diagnosed with autism, now 50 years old. now, the "gma" list of the day. looking for a supergreat deal on a house? okay. here are the three cities right now, that the experts from trulia, have the hottest and best bargains going for home buyers. drumroll, please.

my commute home to the eastern shore every night only takes an hour but that's more time than congress spends reading massive spending bills, it's crazy. that's why i wrote a law that requires 72 hours to read every bill. i read the big bills and i said no. no to the $3 trillion budget, no to the bank bailout, and no to the health care bill. at home you would never pay a bill without reading it neither should congress. i'm frank kratovil and i approve this message because i'm proud to be ranked one of the most independent members of congress.

just about 1 in every 110 children are now diagnosed with autism. and four-times more boys than girls seem to be affected. but not too long ago doctors didn't even know about autism, until they came to know a remarkable, young man, known as case one, diagnosed with autism.

john donvan and karen zucker tracked him down. this is a fascinating story. you chronicle it all in this month's issue of "the atlantic" magazine. and it reminds you of something that's kind of unbelievable. it wasn't too long ago that people even knew that autism existed. >> and donald's parents raised him in a small town in mississippi, called forest. they had a little boy that began acting this way. and the local doctors thought he was mentally ill. that he was insane. the parents institutionalized him briefly on recommendations of doctors. then, they pulled him out of the institution. they started looking for answers. they brought him to a psychiatrist in baltimore called lea conner. who saw donnell. and said this is something different. and connell began to see something different in other children. and in 1943, he announced there was something different with donald, and it was autism. >> he was pretty disabled as a

child. now, has grown into a man who is caple of enjoying his life. he travels all over the world. when you look at his experience, what are the lessons you draw from it for other mothers, fathers, family members, who think, how can we make this work, as our child grows up? >> it's pretty remarkable. donald had a very, very good life. he grew up in a community. a small community. he was very wealthy. his parents were able to take him to the best doctors in the world. the rest of the world doesn't have what donald has. he was incredibly fortunate. but he had the support of community. and community is huge, in terms of people with autism, being able to be as independent as possible. >> john, that reminds me of a piece you did on "world news" just a couple of weeks ago, where you showed a family who were basically mapping out. >> right. >> an entire community. >> the bell family of new jersey. tyler bell is a teenager who has

autism. and his parents gathered together people who are important to his life. and they sat down and figured out -- tried to figure out, what are we going to do for his future. they sat down and drew a map that they hang on the dining room wall. and all of the people in that community sort of signed up to be there for him in one fashion or another. >> that worked for donald, as well, because he was from that small town, there was an acceptance. >> and society could be small towns, if we can help people with autism. if we, as a society, embrace them instead of back off. >> you have a teenage son? >> 16 years old. >> what are your plans? >> he's high-functioning. we're lucky. but he's going to need protection and support for the rest of his life. and there's not a lot out there. and every step of the way, we've had to sort of create his future. and i don't know what we're

going to do at 21, as everyone does. >> as a society, how do we build the bridges? build these communities? >> it's a very subtle thing. but in an important way, disability of any individual is defined by the rest of us and how we react to a person with a disability. you can look at a person with a disability, and reach out to their abilities. we did a story on a person who everybody he hired, has aspergers syndrome. it's a perfect example of how the rest of us, saying you are part of us. we're together. you're not that person over there. a lot of it is up to us. sure, it's case-by-case. everybody has different potential. >> that's brought home in the article you've written in "the atlantic." you can get the full length at

abcnews.com/gma. we'll also have the rest of your reporting on autism on our website. >> thanks. i'm bob ehrlich. i'm not the kind of guy who likes to hang on the sidelines. today maryland is in trouble. we're worse off than we were four years ago. dangerous debt, higher taxes, not enough jobs. we need real leadership to turn this state around. fix the budget -- honestly. grow small businesses -- really. excellent schools -- everywhere. protect the bay -- finally. it's why i'm running. to make the state we love not just good but great. now let's get down to work.

i could heat it up. >> i could eat it, too. oscar winning actress, jennifer hudson. she's a wonderful singer. a wonderful mom, to 1-year-old david, who just got here in our studio. and here's here to tell us about her her work with the lose for good program. it's teamed up with share our strength, to make sure children in need get a healthy breakfast. jennifer is joined by chef michael anthony, from the beautiful grammercy tavern here in new york city. wonderful to have you both here. you're looking fantastic. >> thank you. thank you. >> and you have maintained this, too. >> i have. i'm hanging in there.

weight watchers makes it easy. you know? just keeping the points. eating the right things. it's a lifestyle. what can i tell you? >> it is a lifestyle. >> it is. >> you have embraced and are going with it. i see your sweet 1-year-old. that has to keep you on the run, too? >> oh, my god. he's my exercise now. he never sits still. he wants to run around at all times. it keeps me busy and keeps me going. >> he's 1 already. >> yeah. >> this is his birthday. and you said he's a little camera hog, too. he knows. tell us a little bit. i know this program. >> lose for good is about, once we lose the weight, someone else eats. a child is fed that are hungry. there's so many out there. it's so important to feed the children. it's so important to have breakfast. that makes us feel like we're doing our job. when we lose, a child is eating. >> and the two programs are linked together. and breakfast, chef michael

anthony, is so important for kids. studies show, if they have a good breakfast, they'll do better in school. give us suggestions. >> we know it's important to eat a well-balanced diet. and it's important to eat in moderation. and from a lot of varieties. milks, cereals, fruit, juice. don't forget, the key to it is having fun. and i have three girls, as well. and in order to get them interested, it has to be a priority. and it has to be fun. kids don't want to be told, nor do adults, want to be told. but having fun with great, nutritious, healthy foods are fantastic. and we both support share our strength, which is an amazing organization, that connects with community organizations that fight childhood hunger. they create all sorts of fantastic events, like culinary events. one is happening at grammerry tavern on september 27th. every penny raised from that

event will go straight to surrounding kids with delicious and nutritious foods. so, talking about those foods. and not forgetting to have fun with it. >> there's a smiley face here. >> why not? if the kids play a role in it, they're more likely to dive in and eat it. >> a granola recipe? >> we're going to talk about making granola. this is easy. another point for parent, no one has enough time. but it's easy. >> okay. >> this is so easy that, jennifer, we're going to do it together. i'm going to use a little bit of oats. rye, and wheat. all these guys are whole grains. we're going to add some nuts. and you can use a variety of nuts. >> are those almonds? >> these are almonds. pecans. why don't you add a little bit. >> a little bit or the whole thing?

>> is that honey? >> maple syrup and honey. while you do that, i'm going to toss it in the bowl. that's perfect. you're doing a good job. and we'll add a little bit of maple syrup. and just a touch of vegetable oil. >> okay. and that is it. >> pour that right in there. a quick toss. it's going on a baking sheet. >> that smells good. >> that's going into a 250-degree oven that you get hot in advance. it stays in for about an hour. hour and 15 minutes. >> you put it on a cooking sheet? >> exactly. what happens is, as it stays in there for an hour, it gets toasted. nice and brown. caramelized. >> what do we need this for? >> i want to start something, too. >> stir. at the very end, we can throw in raisins. whatever kind of dried fruit you like. apples, pears, apricots. >> they want to try it. >> come here and try it. >> see if they're going to go for it.

>> come on over. >> david, you want to try it? >> let's look at this. >> he can walk. >> michael anthony, thank you so much. jennifer, let's see. come over here. >> he's run from me now. >> to get this recipe -- with peach and everything else. go to learn about weight watchers lose for good program. >> it's all about the kids. and share our strength. go to abcnews.com/gma.

we're out of time. have a great day. good morning, just minutes away from 9:00. we have ourselves a nice morning here, once again, we're being treated with really gorgeous stuff here in baltimore county. checking out glen oak elementary school, just a few clouds passing through the sky, 65 degrees currently on the

thermometer, very low 52 dew point. that spells out gorgeous, dry, uh, fall weather. fall-like weather. temperatures will be tough to push out of the 60s this morning. 63 harford, reisterstown and 62 in ellicot city. the sun will get us back up and take us to mid-afternoon until it starts to feel warm. two-degree guaranteed high around 78. right now let's have a final check on traffic. here's kim brown. >> still fairly slow ride around the beltway, volume delays holding people up on the northeast corner and the west side. jammed down towards 70. looking at harford road, excuse me, liberty road, moving better towards i-70. just very, very heavy volume. we do have a couple crashes to let you know about, especially

in anne arundel county, several disintegrates, a crash is blocking that center lane. another accident at baltimore annapolis boulevard. baltimore city, southbound 95, key highway, disabled vehicle is blocking the right center lane. northbound 95, pretty much jammed from caton avenue as you approach 395 this morning. stay with us, we have good morning maryland coming right back at 9:00. [ male announcer ] it's sunday afternoon. time for football on verizon fios. the nfl in 100% fiber-optic hd quality. that's a good start. but what's this? i can check my fantasy stats without changing the channel. and get an alert any time my team enters the red zone. and then watch every red zone play on nfl redzone. watch out couch, you've got competition as daddy's favorite. it's time for fios.

call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800-974-6006 tty/v visit verizon.com/getfios. everyone knows a fee is a tax. you raised some taxes during that period, particularly the property tax as well as a lot of fee increases. as you know, there's a big difference between fees and taxes. but...they're the same. it's a tax. it's a tax. it's a tax. it's a tax. there's a big difference between fees and taxes. fees and taxes are one in the same. if it comes out of my pocket, it's a tax. now he says it isn't true. we didn't raise taxes. what? still doing the same thing, paying out more money. typical politician. definitely.